


Golmilieu

by golmilieugang



Category: Golmilieu
Genre: Multi, Original work - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27666556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/golmilieugang/pseuds/golmilieugang
Summary: “Golmilieu” (a WIP title) is a multi-creator project currently being written in script format. The plot is centered around Milo Sufuri, a refuge on the planet of Golmilieu, who has just immigrated into the safe haven of Orlinda. In Orlinda, he tries out for the Rumia Program. This program prepares young adults to fight in the ongoing galaxy-wide war using large human-like robots, or mechas. Follow @Golmilieu on twt for more information.
Kudos: 4





	1. Orlinda

Scene One

(The scene opens to a blurred, incongruent scene of a village burning down. There are adults screaming, young children crying, and sirens blaring as lights begin to flash. Futuristic sounds of lasers and beams are heard. Blood splatters up in the air, the only clear thing in the blurred imagery.)

(Suddenly, there’s silence as the camera pans to the ground as though a person is looking down. There’s ringing. The focus turns to the other side, and standing in the middle of the scene is a younger version of JEN. Sweat and tears drip down her cheeks while she looks up at the camera. The perspective is skewed so that the imagery looks uneven and shaky.)

(This scene and the ringing cuts off suddenly. The screen is black and all that can be heard is the low hum of a train. The next scene is revealed, showing a large group of theoretical refugees huddled together. In the corner is MILO who was lucky enough to get a seat, slowly waking up from a deep sleep. He rubs the bridge of his nose before straightening himself out.)

(MILO takes a look around at the rest of the refugees, some of which seem far more battered than others. He sighs to himself. MILO gently touches the scar on the side of his face, tightly closing his eyes while he remembers something unpleasant. He’s brought back to reality by the sound of an on-train announcement.)

ANNOUNCER:  
Landing in Orlinda. We will now be landing in Orlinda.

(MILO glances outside of the train window to start a pan up and out from the camera. This angle shows that the train is actually flying through the air, surrounded by other flying vehicles like cars and the like. This is the first true reveal of the futuristic society of Orlinda.)

(The train docks. Refugees are pulled and shoved off by Orlinda Officers, including MILO. MILO takes an awkward glance around to try and find where he’s supposed to be heading. He decides to follow the large crowd of refugees making their way to a specific direction.)

(A few cars down, two upper-class-looking girls, CELESTE and ESTELLE, step off of the train. They have heavy, large bags in their hands, overflowing with clothes. CELESTE looks like she’s about twenty, whereas ESTELLE looks like an early teenager.)

ESTELLE:  
This is a smaller haul than usual. I guess Gene didn’t have as much to spare on me this time.

CELESTE:  
You should be grateful for anything Gene provides for you.

ESTELLE:  
Genevieve is probably just keeping our money for herself. I’m not grateful for that.

CELESTE:  
You don’t know that, so stop complaining, will you?

ESTELLE:  
I have my sneaking suspicions.

(These two start to move through the crowd too. ESTELLE is clearly bothered by walking through refugees, but CELESTE doesn’t give any physical indication that she feels one way or the other about it.)

(Eventually, MILO, CELESTE, and ESTELLE have all detached themselves from the crowd. CELESTE and ESTELLE know exactly where they’re going, but MILO still looks confused. Seeing the two girls, MILO makes his way over to them.)

MILO:  
Excuse me, but do either of you know where a new refugee should be headed?

ESTELLE:  
Hah? If you’re a new refugee, why are you talking to me? Can’t you tell we aren’t supposed to be speaking?

MILO:  
No? Why wouldn’t I be allowed to speak to you?

ESTELLE:  
I’m in the upper echelons, and that means you have no business talking to me upon immediate arrival. You’ll be sent to the slums in no time. People from the slums aren’t supposed to talk to people from the Elite District.

MILO:  
Excuse me? Shouldn’t you be a little nicer to someone that might have war trauma?

(Though he says it in a light-hearted way, flashes of gruesome imagery from the raid show up on screen before the next line, which resumes the casual tone.)

ESTELLE:  
We all have--

(CELESTE cuts ESTELLE off, clearly irritated by her.)

CELESTE:  
You’ll have to excuse my friend’s rude behavior. She’s not used to talking to...people like you anymore.

MILO:  
Yeah? And what exactly am I?

CELESTE:  
You’re just not what she’s used to, okay? Upper class kids don’t know exactly how to act when they see something they’re unfamiliar with.

MILO:  
Tch. I can go ask someone else then if I’m so unappealing to people of your class.

(Immediately disparaged, MILO starts heading in a different direction. CELESTE gently grabs onto his arm, not wanting him to have a bad arrival.)

CELESTE:  
It’s only Estelle. I can answer your questions without an issue.

MILO:  
Tell me where I need to go, then. If you princesses even know.

CELESTE:  
I can take you.

ESTELLE:  
And? So where does that leave me if you’re running off with the little insect?

CELESTE:  
You can call Gene to pick you up, can’t you?

ESTELLE:  
Yeah, but--

CELESTE:  
Then call Gene. I’ll handle the new guy.

ESTELLE:  
Fine…

(CELESTE hands off her bags to ESTELLE, whose hands are now completely full. As she wobbles away, CELESTE gives MILO a kind smile, which he returns with a scoff.)

Scene Two

(CELESTE and MILO are now on their own in a processing center. They're quiet, and awkward, as other people around them scan virtual ID’s. The only sound right now is quiet mumbling, feet shuffling, and repetitive scanning.)

CELESTE:  
Where did you come from?

(The flashing from earlier repeats, but this time we see Milo’s terrified face with bloodshot eyes. The scene quickly resumes.)

MILO:  
Isn’t that inappropriate to ask?

CELESTE:  
I figured it’s nice to talk about your roots a lot so you don’t get homesick.

MILO:  
My “roots” have been sliced off and killed.

(MILO crosses his arms.)

CELESTE:  
Right, well...A lot of people in this city have had really similar experiences to you. So you’re not alone!

MILO:  
I don’t need pity encouragement.

CELESTE:  
Sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken one on one with a refugee.

MILO:  
I’m assuming you don’t have those “experiences” you were talking about?

CELESTE:  
Well…

(CELESTE appears obfuscated. She glances away from MILO, contemplating what she would and would not tell him. It takes a moment before she fully focuses her attention on MILO again.)

CELESTE:  
Nothing of the sort. Estelle knows more about these things than me, but you saw how she reacted to you.

MILO:  
Like a classist.

CELESTE:  
I guess. But you should understand that Estelle has had some negative experiences that make her not want to associate with the lower classes. It’s taken her a good while to get where she wants to be.

MILO:  
What do you mean by that?

CELESTE:  
I won’t say anything more than that. I don’t want to invade a young girl’s privacy. It’s not like it’s any of your business, either.

MILO:  
Fine. But I don’t appreciate vague conversations.

CELESTE:  
It’d really do you some good to stop being so snappy. If you want to get by here, as the person you are, you’re going to need friends.

MILO:  
Whatever. I’ll keep that in mind.

CELESTE:  
Estelle’s attitude is an...unfortunately accurate example of how most refugees are treated upon arrival. Walked on by the elite, thrown into slums, and treated like the sewer rats of society.

MILO:  
I see you’re not trying to break it to me easy.

CELESTE:  
That’s just how it is. No one cares to spare an ounce of kindness to people they consider bottom of the barrel. And the world government just...allows it.

MILO:  
World government?

CELESTE:  
You haven’t done much research into Golmilieu’s politics? Are you an immigrant from Linston, or something?

MILO:  
Village boy, but I’m from this planet. People out in the villages don’t really care to learn about what’s going on outside. That’s why we just...weren’t prepared for what was coming at all. It isn’t like anyone tried to tell us, either.

CELESTE:  
That’s it. You’re from Dinlen. That raid was on the news just two or so days ago, wasn’t it? You...you suffered that loss so recently. I’m sorry, I just assumed--

MILO:  
It’s fine. I already told you that I don’t need your pity. I’m here right now, and that’s what I’m focusing on.

(CELESTE, downtrodden, opens her mouth to offer some words of comfort. To her dismay, nothing comes out.)

DESK WORKER:  
#16, #16.

MILO:  
That’s me. I’ll handle this part on my own. Thanks for the conversation.

(CELESTE shakes off her disheartened expression before she addresses MILO again, instead applying a smile to her face.)

CELESTE:  
It’s no trouble. I’m known for appearing whenever someone needs me.

MILO:  
...I’ll keep that in mind, too. But uh, I never got your name.

CELESTE:  
I’m Celeste.

MILO:  
Milo.

(As MILO shifts towards the front desk with a handful of documents, CELESTE takes her exit. She glances back at him one more time before fully leaving the room, presumably going to find ESTELLE if she hasn’t been picked up yet.)

MILO:  
Hi, I was told this is where I should sign up for residence?

DESK WORKER:  
You were told correctly. If you can just hand me those, we can get you situated downtown in no time.

MILO:  
Downtown? Sounds fancy.

Scene Three

(Almost in a comedic fashion, we go from the last scene into MILO standing across the street from a run down apartment building. He’s surrounded by unsettling noises, sewage, trash, buildings that are falling apart, and the like. He scrunches up his nose as though there’s an absolutely putrid smell hanging in the air.)

MILO:  
Home sweet-

(Before he can even complete his sentence, a flying bus with gas pouring out of the back passes over him. Dirty water from a release in the back falls onto his head, soaking him.)

MILO:  
Great. Just what I needed.

(MILO shakes himself off as he walks over to his assigned apartment, then squeezing water out of his shirt when he arrives at the door. He clumsily pulls a key out of the small bag of luggage he’s been carrying.)

(When he unlocks the door, he immediately sees another young adult, JEN, sitting on a couch in what appears to be a first floor lobby for all of the residents of the apartment. This room, though, is surprisingly clean despite uncomfortable looking furniture. She’s watching something on a TV from an age so far back MILO couldn’t even name it. JEN has yet to notice the new roommate.)

MILO:  
Hello?

JEN:  
Hm?

(JEN turns around, taking a close, particular look at MILO. MILO, somewhat embarrassed, doesn’t speak until spoken to again.)

JEN:  
And? You are?

MILO:  
I-I’m Milo Sufuri. I just got in from Dinlen. I live here now.

JEN:  
You say “Dinlen” like I’m expected to know what that is.

MILO:  
Um, the recently raided village on the other side of Golmilieu? Another woman recognized it earlier, so I figured it might be big news here.

(JEN laughs. MILO just appears confused.)

JEN:  
A village raid? Big news? Get over yourself.

MILO:  
Now why are you laughing at me? It was a fucking massacre--

(More repetition of flashes before the scene’s continuation. Now screaming can be heard. Milo comes back to reality.)

MILO:  
Of course it should be big news!

JEN:  
Uh-huh. And do you remember Jeremy?

MILO:  
Jeremy?

JEN:  
The village raided directly before your’s. You don’t, because it’s not breaking news. It’s a casual thing that happens all around the galaxy. 

MILO:  
And why exactly do you remember Jeremy, but not Dinlen?

JEN:  
Because our other new resident is from there. She just got in about two weeks ago. But if I were you, I wouldn’t go and try casually talking to her. She’s not happy with the current arrangements. Snappy, she is.

MILO:  
I don’t know how anyone could be happy living in a place like this.

JEN:  
It’s my home. So be a little respectful, will you?

MILO:  
Right...sorry.

(While JEN and MILO are speaking, the TV’s imagery suddenly changes)

TV ANNOUNCER:  
Breaking! Breaking! Alaststan’s Military is currently performing another raid, but this time on the large city of White Castle, the capital of Planet Lumiere! So far, there are 50 casualties! 

(MILO’s eyes widen as he watches this news roll in, filled with live footage of a city similar to Orlinda being destroyed by large, human-like robots piloted by Alaststan’s Military. JEN actually has a reaction to this news, which seems to completely contradict what she was preaching earlier.)

JEN:  
White Castle is a huge city! One of the most well-guarded in the galaxy! There’s no way the princess is confident enough to take them on!

MILO:  
Pr-princess?

(MILO is only able to stutter out this word, the violent imagery throwing him off balance, and reminding him of his own home. JEN answers his question, not noticing the change.)

JEN:  
Viola Auclair. She’s a young princess who heads the military. She has to be involved in this.

(The scene is focused on the screen again. Sure enough, there emerges VIOLA, stepping on top of collapsed rubble from the attack. As the troupes advance, the cameras all focus on VIOLA instead of the damage.)

VIOLA:  
The nation of Alaststan will soon take Lumiere! 

(The scene is no longer focused on a TV, and instead is framed in the actual spot where VIOLA is standing)

VIOLA:  
Lumiere is a weakened, pathetic nation that has never been able to defend itself from our attacks! And yet they have refused to join us in our quest to colonize the galaxy, for the greater good of humanity! Today, we will add it to our alliance by force!

(As she speaks, screams and destruction is heard in the background. Though, her voice and presence overpowers it all.)

VIOLA:  
Great governments of the galaxy, let this be your warning! The World Government of Golmilieu, The Monarchy of Spladd, you will all fall to us! Even the most powerful, most well guarded nations, are nothing against the powerful agenda of Alaststan, which seeks to improve the galaxy, and restore humanity to its most powerful era!

(VIOLA throws her hands in the air as a showy gesture, meant to excite any audience that may be watching her. Cheering and yells of encouragement can be heard from the troupes VIOLA deployed. This, too, drowns out any noise heard from the citizens being slaughtered.)

(Sweat drips down VIOLA’s cheeks to her chin, standing firm in her position which seems to empower her troupes. When VIOLA goes silent, she flickers off of the screen as we switch back to the TV perspective. JEN and MILO are seen again, dumbfounded.)

(JEN throws the remote on the ground. With pursed lips and crossed arms, she shakes her head in disbelief.)

JEN:  
The fall of Lumiere...there’s no way they’ll accomplish that. That little princess is in over her head. They’ll have to fight White Castle’s military for weeks to even get close. Viola declaring victory immediately is a sign of anxiety that she won’t succeed.

MILO:  
I don’t understand. What’s the big deal in comparison to the villages? Why do you care about this?

JEN:  
Alaststan has been moving slowly. Just...taking over small areas. Not capitals of entire planets. This is the first time they’ve ever launched an attack of this scale, and it’s meant to be a message to our government...You picked a great time to arrive.

Scene Four

(This scene ends, segwaying into MILO entering his own room now. His room was not clean like the lobby. It was a dirty room, with one small bed lacking any sort of blanket and a few miscellaneous and small pieces of furniture, complete with an open toilet, shower head, and mirror shoved in the corner.)

(Tired of one disappointment after another, MILO flops down onto the bed in front of him, face first. He snuggles the shallow pillow on his bed, fully burying his face. While he’s doing this, a voice is heard.)

DOUGLAS:  
Hard day?

(MILO raises his head. When he sits up in the direction of the voice, he notices another young man around his age, DOUGLAS. DOULGAS is standing in the doorway and holding a pile of sheets, with cup noodles and other snacks sitting on top.)

DOUGLAS:  
We got news someone new was coming in today, so I figured I should come and bring you a few things. I know the new arrivals aren’t provided with a lot.

(MILO, confused by the sudden kindness, cautiously makes his way over to DOUGLAS. With the way his day had been going, the items might as well spontaneously combust.)

DOUGLAS:  
Well? Go ahead and take everything before I drop it.

(MILO takes the food items away from DOUGLAS, and sets them on his bedside table. DOUGLAS kicks the room door closed, and then sets the sheets on MILO’s bed.)

DOUGLAS:  
Everyone in this apartment complex are buddies, you know? You probably ran into Jen first, and she was probably a little mean. But she really does care about the people here. She’s just like that.

MILO:  
Yeah…

(MILO doesn’t spark conversation immediately. He picks up a bagged loaf of bread, carefully opening it. The angle is focused on only DOUGLAS and his rambling now.)

DOUGLAS:  
I have no idea what you like, so I just grabbed...whatever I thought most people like. You can boil water for the noodles in the lobby if you need to. Jen, Elise, and I are always hanging out in there. And--whoa, are you...okay?

(The angle is back on MILO, panning up from his chest where he holds the half eaten bread to his face. There’s tears pouring out of his eyes now. He had been holding in this reaction for two days.)

(When DOUGLAS is on screen again, he awkwardly takes a seat next to MILO, not knowing exactly how to handle this.)

DOUGLAS:  
They took your friends?

MILO:  
Mm.

DOUGLAS:  
Your family?

MILO:  
...mm.

DOUGLAS:  
Everybody here is like you. If you ever need someone to properly talk to, I’m right here man. We’re all in this together.

(There’s a knock on MILO’s door. He wipes his eyes to get up and answer it, only to find a little white rabbit plushie at the foot of the door. DOUGLAS walks up behind him, amused.)

DOUGLAS:  
Haha! Jen loves collecting items like that. This is probably her welcoming present.

MILO:  
It’s so...cute.

DOUGLAS:  
She’s kind of like the mom here. Even if she’s blunt, and kind of strict sometimes, but she does like everyone. There’s a connection between all of us.

(MILO is silent.)

DOUGLAS:  
You’re not being very responsive, so...I’m gonna leave you alone. I hope you like the snacks.

MILO:  
Sorry. I’m--I’m just processing what’s happening. I didn’t expect anyone to be nice to me today.

DOUGLAS:  
You’ve got your buddies now. No worries.

(DOUGLAS pats MILO’s back as he exits the room, leaving MILO alone with his stuffed rabbit and piece of bread. For the first time in the episode, he cracks a small smile.)

(END EPISODE.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first episode is an early draft and pretty messy, but I hope you enjoyed!! - 🍄


	2. The Massacre of Dinlen

Scene 1

(Similarly to the first episode, this episode starts with a flashback. But it’s more cohesive, and in the beginning, less gruesome. We’re shown a small village house where a mother is shaving potatoes for her children and husband.)

(The camera slowly switches between many places in the house, including the kitchen where the mother, MARIE is standing, the dining table where father and son BRADLEY and JOSHUA are sitting, and the couch where aunt ASHLEY holds the hand of her younger daughter, LISA. Accompanying these visuals are the calming sounds of softly boiling water, gentle flips of newspaper, LISA’s murmuring, and MARIE’s humming. It’s a casual, quiet, warm scene between a family.)

(The door slams open, but we don’t see who’s entered yet. Just the momentarily unsettled faces of the family. A shadow covers the figure standing in the door, and when they step into the light it’s--)

JOSHUA:  
Milo!

(JOSHUA reveals who it is before the camera does, but we do end up seeing a MILO from a few days before the current story. He’s missing the large cut on his cheek as well as the ponytail. He looks like a much more average boy, with no scowl or disheveled clothing to be found.)

MILO:  
I’m back.

JOSHUA:  
It’d been a few hours longer than usual. I was about to come out and find you myself.

MILO:  
The little kids just wanted me to stay a little longer. Was I gonna tell them I had more important things to do?

LISA:  
You went and taught them all those cool moves again, right?

(LISA excitedly runs up to MILO, grabbing and swinging on his arm. He’s strong enough to hold up his arm with a giggling LISA attached to him.)

MILO:  
Yep! The little kids are always running to me begging for some proper self-defense training. They’re getting better and better at guarding themselves every day.

MARIE:  
It’s nice that you give those kids a hobby, but really, try to hurry home sooner next time. You need to help your mother out with these potatoes.

MILO:  
Right, right. My bad.

(MILO chuckles. He sets LISA down with ASHLEY again so he can go and help his mother.)

JOSHUA:  
You know, an acquaintance from another village not too far from here said there’s some raids happening on Golmilieu.

BRADLEY:  
Pay no mind to that fear mongering, Joshua. 

ASHLEY:  
We’re in some tiny little corner on the planet that no one cares about. I wouldn’t go worrying about a raid.

JOSHUA:  
I...guess. But it is worrying. We might have to pack and move into a city.

MARIE:  
If the tension in the galaxy gets worse, we can properly discuss it then. Right now it’s not something we have to be concerned with.

MILO:  
And if a raid does come, I’ve got little child soldiers running around that could kick any military’s ass!

(MILO laughs heartily, joined with a giggle from LISA. JOSHUA still looks skeptical.)

JOSHUA:  
If none of you are worried, then I’ll try not to be either.

(JOSHUA settles himself down, taking a look at the rest of his family. None of them seemed to have much of a reaction to his warning, so he, too, shrugged it off.)

Scene 1.2

(A short, montage style scene plays, showing the entire family’s dinner. There’s visuals of JOSHUA and MILO play fighting, ASHLEY feeding LISA, MARIE and BRADLEY fondly watching their children together, etc. This montage also includes MILO and LISA getting into a food fight, that ends up encompassing the entire family as the visuals change in and out.)

(The final image of the montage is MILO’s face, a bright smile plastered on his face that’s curling up to his cheeks. It’s a carefree, unknowing smile. A little off center, next to MILO, are JOSHUA and LISA, who appear to be just as happy as he is.)

Scene 2

(The next thing that we’re shown is a scene from presumably the night after their dinner. It opens up with an overhead shot to show off the family members sleeping in the same one room they were all in earlier, snuggled up in woolen sleeping bags. The camera switches to MILO’s sleeping face, right before there’s a loud boom heard from outside.)

(JOSHUA bolts awake before anyone else even has a chance to. It seemed he hadn’t been sleeping very soundly at all. There’s another boom, causing JOSHUA to scramble over to MILO and shake him awake.)

(MILO groggily shoves JOSHUA away, only half-awake.)

JOSHUA:  
Milo! Wake the fuck up!

(MILO swats at JOSHUA, who is still trying to sit him up.)

MILO:  
Ugh...go to sleep. Let’s just...talk in the morning.

JOSHUA:  
There’s--

(Now, there’s screaming and gunshots outside. This is enough to get MILO’s proper attention, as well as wake up all of the adults. LISA, however, still sleeps soundly.)

MILO:  
Is this--are we being raided?

(The terrifying noises outside seem to answer this question. The entire family makes sure to whisper low, and barely move.)

JOSHUA:  
Everyone, grab anything you need. We have to get out of here before they find this house.

(The entire family agrees with a single, exchanged nod, and start shifting around the house as the outside noises continue. ASHLEY and MARIE focus on grabbing food, while BRADLEY shoves blankets into a bag. JOSHUA stans guard by the door. MILO takes the job of gently awaking LISA.)

LISA:  
Mm...Milo?

MILO:  
Shh...we’ve gotta be quiet.

LISA:  
What’s going on, Milo?

(The little girl yawns.)

MILO:  
We’re going on a little adventure in just a second. But so that it doesn’t go bad, we’ve all got to be quiet. Understand?

LISA:  
Mm-hm. I get it.

(LISA grins, not understanding the situation. MILO takes a hold of her hand, walking near JOSHUA now. The adults finish packing and come up right next to them.)

JOSHUA:  
That’s all any of us need. When I open this door, we run until we reach the forest by the edge of the village.

(JOSHUA puts his hand on the doorknob, taking one last look at everyone to make sure they’re. When he decides that they are, he throws open the door, ready to sprint.)

(When the door flips open, the camera does an immediate pan up to the roof while a gunshot noise rings out. The camera is blurry, now, and when it refocuses, we see ASHLEY’s face as she falls back in slow motion. There’s blood spurting up in front of her face, alluding to the fact that she was the one who was just shot.)

(The slow-motion continues to show us armed forces standing in front of the house. We see the reactions of the family members one by one, including LISA, who’s smiling face is in the middle of twisting into one of shock, confusion, and horror.)

(Normal pacing resumes as JOSHUA starts yelling commands.)

JOSUHA:  
RUN!

(ASHLEY falls on the ground with a heavy thump, already dead.)

(In a display of self-sacrifice, and reacting quickly, BRADLEY and MARIE shove themselves against the troupe, creating a momentary pathway for the younger family members. MILO grabs onto LISA’s hand, and JOSHUA pushes the both of them through this pathway before getting away from the house himself.)

(LISA still can’t comprehend what’s going on, but she’s shown sobbing heavily, with MILO needing to drag her away from the scene of her mother. BRADLEY and MARIE are shot offscreen, with neither MILO nor JOSHUA looking their way.)

(As they run from their home, sticking close together, JOSHUA, LISA, and MILO are surrounded by destruction, fire, and multiple groups of military men. They seem too preoccupied dealing with other villagers to deal with the fleeing three.)

LISA:  
What’s going on? Wh-what happened to mom?

(LISA hiccups through her words.)

MILO:  
Just keep running, Lisa!

(A small boy runs up to MILO’s side, momentarily slowing him and the rest of his family down.)

YOUNG BOY:  
M-Milooooooo!

(YOUNG BOY is sobbing.)

YOUNG BOY:  
W-we tr-tried to do wh-what you t-told us, b-but everybody…!

MILO:  
It’s alright, okay? It’s not your fault. Just keep running with us!

(MILO, JOSHUA, LISA, and the YOUNG BOY pick up the pace, but because they got distracted for just a moment, a sudden obstacle appears before them.)

(A skilled SWORDSMAN, face covered in a scarf and body concealed by armor, seems to be conducting part of this massacre by dancing around with their sword. They’re gently and precisely moving their sword around. It almost looks like a performance. And, they seem to be moving closer to MILO and his family.)

(Though they continue to run, and faster now, the SWORDSMAN focuses their attention to that group. Repeating the slow motion vision from earlier, the SWORDSMAN brings their sword down on LISA’s wrist, slicing off her hand and detaching her from MILO entirely.)

(There’s a shot of MILO’s eyes widening as LISA falls back. MILO is still running, what happened not processing in his brain. A soldier grabs the YOUNG BOY, shocked in place, and cracks his neck offscreen. We only hear the crack, still focusing on MILO’s face. MILO finally stops, looking back at LISA. JOSHUA is running back towards as she begins to be surrounded by soldiers.)

(MILO is at a complete loss for words. He falls to his knees. He can’t force himself to move. All he can do is watch.)

(LISA holds her bleeding wrist, tears streaming down her face. The SWORDSMAN comes back into frame, cleanly removing JOSHUA’s head from his shoulders. This is shown by a blackened silhouette of his body being dismembered, MILO’s terrified face being revealed behind him as the neck and shoulders properly detach.)

(MILO is choking and gasping for air, but no tears will leave his eyes. The SWORDSMAN approaches him now. They use their sword to hold up MILO’s face, creating a deep cut in his cheek.)

(His head tilted up at the person who just murdered his brother, he accepts that this is his fate. He calms himself, closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. The scene, that has been loud and filled with noise, goes quiet and the background becomes black. Nothing exists except for MILO and the SWORDSMAN.)

LISA:  
STOP!

(The scene breaks back into normal upon LISA’s cry. Though she doesn’t seem to be crying out for MILO, like it originally seemed. When the SWORDSMAN turns back, she’s being grabbed by multiple soldiers, fearing she’ll meet the same fate as the child from earlier.)

(In an unexpected display, the SWORDSMAN shoves MILO’s back with the butt of their sword. They have the voice of a woman.)

SWORDSMAN:  
Go.

MILO:  
What? But you--

SWORDSMAN:  
Leave this village. I’m going to deal with that girl.

(MILO shakily gets up in a last stand of defiance.)

MILO:  
I won’t leave Lisa.

(The SWORDSMAN slashes his side, sending him back down to the ground again. And with that nonverbal warning, MILO gives up, takes off, and disappears into the distance. The last thing we see in this scene is MILO running away with his back to the camera, and LISA, as the entire screen becomes black.)

Scene 3

(The screen is still black, but there’s a disembodied voice calling out now.)

DOUGLAS:  
Milo? Milo?

(When there’s light again, we see MILO’s tired face. The difference between his appearance now and his appearance from just a few days ago is obvious.)

DOUGLAS:  
Dude, get up. Jen is making breakfast, and you’re gonna miss it if you can’t get out of bed.

(MILO lazily sits himself up.)

MILO:  
Yeah, right...whatever.

(DOUGLAS pats his back before he leaves MILO alone in the room. MILO puts his head down into his knees. We see flashes similar to the last episode, but they’re more detailed now. LISA’s hand and JOSHUA’s head getting cut off are the main focuses of the current flashes.)

(MILO takes a deep breath to center himself.)

(We see him in the open shower now, resting his head against the wall in front of him. His eyes are closed as he ruminates on his dream again. All he can see now is him running away as LISA cries out in anguish.)

(And now, we see him walking down the stairs with the same tired expression. He remembers the swordsman, swordswoman, and her words to him.)

MILO:  
Go…

(He walks in the lobby. JEN and DOUGLAS are sitting on the couch together. The TV is playing, covering the current raid on WHITE CASTLE.)

DOUGLAS:  
Good morning, man. Took you awhile.

MILO:  
I was...thinking about things.

(A short girl, ELISE, intentionally bumps into MILO from behind.)

ELISE:  
Move.

MILO:  
Huh?

ELISE:  
I said move. Go.

(Just with that word, MILO appears dizzy for a moment. ELISE doesn’t notice this.)

ELISE:  
Are you dense? Get moving.

(MILO follows orders from the random girl. He takes a seat at a chair set up around the couch. ELISE takes a seat in the chair across from him.)

JEN:  
Good morning to the two of you. I decided to make breakfast just for MILO’s welcoming.

(There’s two bowls of instant noodles and a few water bottles on the table between all of them. DOUGLAS is already slurping his, while JEN has a bowl sitting on her lap.)

MILO:  
Instant noodles?

JEN:  
There isn’t a lot to eat around here. 

(JEN shrugs, taking a sip of the broth in her bowl.)

ELISE:  
You snore, you know.

MILO:  
Me?

ELISE:  
You.

MILO:  
Oh.

ELISE:  
Stop.

MILO:  
What?

ELISE:  
Don’t snore.

MILO:  
Okay.

(MILO awkwardly agrees with ELISE. DOUGLAS chuckles.)

DOUGLAS:  
Don’t mind Elise. She gets close with people by being blunt.

MILO:  
Okay…

ELISE:  
You’re from Dinlen.

MILO:  
You know it?

ELISE:  
Mm. I’m from Jeremy.

(ELISE starts on her noodles. MILO doesn’t seem to be doing well with the random tension.)

MILO:  
The...other raided village from recently?

ELISE:  
Mm. Pass me the water.

(MILO places the water across the table so ELISE can access it easier. There wasn’t really a point, since she could have reached over herself, but MILO does it anyway. ELISE’s face seems to be going red.)

ELISE:  
Hot…

JEN:  
Yes, the noodles are spicy.

ELISE:  
They’re good.

JEN:  
You like spicy things, Elise? I can keep that in mind for the future.

ELISE:  
Thank you…

(ELISE is silent again. Seems that was enough talking for this morning. She takes a sip from the water to try and diminish her flushed face.)

DOUGLAS:  
So, Jen. You’ve been keeping up with your training, right?

JEN:  
Of course. I’m going to get into Rumia no matter what. Lower class people have a higher chance of passing, anyways.

ELISE:  
Why’s that?

JEN:  
Like the World Government wants to waste their precious upper class kids on a futile war. Using the lower class kids as fodder is the most efficient course of action.

ELISE:  
But despite that, you’re participating in the exam?

JEN:  
I don’t care about the technicalities. I have my own reasons.

MILO:  
And what are we talking about, now? You all need to start explaining things to me.

(MILO pouts. DOUGLAS chuckles at him again. Most things that MILO does are funny to him.)

DOUGLAS:  
Rumia Academy is a preparatory school, exclusively for training young adults to be in this special sector of the Golmilieu Military. 

JEN:  
The mecha sector. Only the most talented youth have a chance of being in this section of the military. The naturally gifted are accepted after their scores on a written test and a combat test are ranked.

DOUGLAS:  
You go to school for a year, and when you come out, you’re expected to be a top-class soldier ready to participate in intense galaxy-wide defense. And, here’s the kicker, you get a shit ton of money.

JEN:  
If you can even get in as a top-eight scorer. Which I will.

MILO:  
And...the both of you are talking like you’re going to try out.

DOUGLAS:  
I am. For the money. I’ve been stuck in these slums my whole life, you know. It’s my ticket to liberty.

MILO:  
I don’t think you can be liberated when you’re a part of the military…

DOUGLAS:  
Like Jen said, who cares about technicalities?

(DOUGLAS shrugs MILO off.)

JEN:  
Not to mention the information you can receive about all sorts of people and things. Golmilieu’s government is even more powerful than Alaststan’s. If you’re at the top of the military, and you get to meet the World Government, you could learn anything you needed to.

MILO:  
What do you mean...anything?

JEN:  
Anything. The location of a person, information about our ancestors on Earth, more accurate updates on the current going of the Galaxy War…

MILO:  
The location of a person?

JEN:  
You’re interested?

MILO:  
...only in that part.

JEN:  
I’d give up on it. There’s no way some random village boy who’s hearing about the test just a month prior to it would ever pass.

MILO:  
I didn’t even say I was that--

DOUGLAS:  
Don’t be like that, Jen. We have no idea this village boy’s experience. Who knows how much he could accomplish in a month, with the proper goal?

JEN:  
Whatever. I just don’t want one of the people I’m living with to get seriously wounded in that exam. The people taking it are ruthless. We all want to climb to the top.

ELISE:  
I’ll take it.

JEN:  
Huh?

ELISE:  
I’ll take it. I’m perfectly capable of passing any test that I want.

JEN:  
A written test, sure! But how could you handle people attacking--

ELISE:  
I’ll take it. 

DOUGLAS:  
Official registration is published in a week. I’ll set you up, Elise.

JEN:  
You’re being reckless.

DOUGLAS:  
I like to call it...encouraging.

(DOUGLAS, satisfied with himself, leans back into the couch with a smirk.)

DOUGLAS:  
Maybe these recent refugees can prove they’re worth more than what the government wants them to be.

Scene 4

(CELESTE, ESTELLE, and GENE sit together in a large, bougie restaurant. They’re eating proper, gourmet breakfast food together. This is one of the first things made to represent the disparity between the lower and upper classes.)

(Calming classical music plays in the background, accompanied by silverware and Fine China clinking together. There’s an air of elegance to the entire set up of the scene, and the stylish dressing of all three of the girls completes it.)

CELESTE:  
The Rumia Exam sign ups are soon, Gene. I suspect you’re still planning to take it with me?

GENE:  
Who would I be if I went back on that promise? We’ve been looking forward to this for years.

ESTELLE:  
Stop. You two know I don’t like when you talk about the exam around me.

GENE:  
What? Are you still annoyed because you’re too young to be a proper participant? You’ll get your chance in a few years.

ESTELLE:  
I deserve the chance now. I know more about piloting Vulkans than either of you!

CELESTE:  
Good thing I plan on piloting a Marione, then.

ESTELLE:  
We get it, you’re lame.

CELESTE:  
There’s nothing lame about preferring a medical vehicle to a combat vehicle.

GENE:  
I’m more interested in the Vulkans, myself.

ESTELLE:  
Probably because I teach you about them every single night.

(ESTELLE sighs.)

ESTELLE:  
The age restriction isn’t fair. I’m perfectly capable now, and I always have been.

GENE:  
The World Government isn’t going to let a fifteen year old fight in an all-out war. Like I said, you’ll get your shot. But only when you turn eighteen.

ESTELLE:  
I’m a better pilot than any eighteen year old out there!

CELESTE:  
Keep in mind you haven’t even piloted yet.

ESTELLE:  
B-but I know! I’ll show the two of you! I’m going to get into Rumia Academy this year! And I’ll score higher than either of you!

CELESTE:  
Estelle…

GENE:  
Well, I’m not going to discourage you. If you think that you can, let’s see you rock it. But now I won’t accept you scoring lower than me.

ESTELLE:  
Does that mean I can join your combat sessions, now?!

(ESTELLE’s face lights up.)

GENE:  
No way.

(And ESTELLE immediately deflates.)

CELESTE:  
It wouldn’t be fair, shoving a little girl into physical conflict with two grown women.

ESTELLE:  
But I’m not even that much younger than any of you! How will I even train, then?

GENE:  
There’s your first challenge, then.

(GENE grins at her pouting sister. She enjoys challenging her.)

GENE:  
Find yourself a partner to spar with.

ESTELLE:  
A partner…?

CELESTE:  
That’s not fair, Gene. You know Estelle isn’t good at making fr--

ESTELLE:  
I’ll find a partner just fine!

(ESTELLE asserts, breaking the calm aura of the restaurant as other people focus on her.)

ESTELLE:  
I’m going to find a sparring partner, rank first on the Rumia Exam, and I’ll be the youngest to attend Rumia Academy of all time!

(With ESTELLE’s new goal, the scene ends.)

Scene 5

(VIOLA, tired, breathing heavily and her powerful aura nowhere to be found, drags herself through a long and empty hallway of what can be presumed to be a spaceship. Her lavish dress is covered in blood, as well as the sword she holds by her side. She drops her sword on the floor, and soon after drops herself.)

(She holds herself up on her knees by pressing her hand into the side of the wall. She covers her mouth with her free hand, trying to hold back vomit. This is a quiet and rare moment for her. With no one around, she allows herself to look weak.)

(She picks her head up and looks at the bloodied sword. There’s no particular memory she associates with it, but the sight of it is enough to remind her of unpleasant occurrences.)

(A scene from the massacre at the beginning of the episode repeats, showing the SWORDSMAN dancing. The SWORDSMAN’s scarf blows back for just a moment, revealing VIOLA’s unique eyes and nose, as well as some strands of her hair. The SWORDSMAN is VIOLA.)

(The quick scene ends, and we see the weak VIOLA on the ground again.)

VIOLA:  
No more…

(With those soft words, the scene fades out.)

(END EPISODE.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter sucks I promise I’ll get better at this 😭 - 🍄


	3. Here Comes Frag!

Scene 1

(The opening scene of this episode is a quick cut-back to ESTELLE’s previous line.)

ESTELLE:  
I’m going to find a sparring partner, rank first on the Rumia Exam, and I’ll be the youngest to attend Rumia Academy of all time!

(ESTELLE’s face from that scene fades into her in her current whereabouts, and she’s visibly irritated. We only see her face right now, so the audience isn’t sure what’s happening yet.)

ESTELLE:  
Why is my favorite boutique closing down?!

(As ESTELLE groans out this line, we pull away from her face and see her standing in front of a store that has a digital notice for closure on the front. Subtly, this gives us a look at one part of the upper class district, which is stereotypically fanciful and well-kept.)

(ESTELLE reads the sign closer, and reads the ending sentences out loud.)

ESTELLE:  
“Though we know this may be a disappointment to many of our loyal consumers, there doesn’t need to be any worry. We have relocated to the...Middle Class District...as to improve our foot traffic. The new address is…”

(ESTELLE squints, reading it over and over with fast moving eyes to confirm she’s reading this properly. She sighs heavily, but takes a picture of the new address nonetheless.)

ESTELLE:  
So I guess I’m off to the middle class district.

(The scene fades out.)

Scene 2

(When the scene opens again, ESTELLE is getting off of a flying subway similar to the train from the first episode, and stepping onto a crowded platform. The middle class is already set up to be a busy place that combines every single class. All sorts of different people are seen on the platform. There’s raggedy people from the lower class, perfectly average people from the middle class, and eloquently dressed people from the upper class. There are even tourists, who are obviously tourists because of their unique cultural clothing.)

(ESTELLE is out of her element. This shows on her confused face as she walks through this crowd of people.)

(It isn’t too long before ESTELLE arrives at the boutique that she’s been looking for. She takes a comically deep breath before entering, like she needs to brace herself for what’s about to happen inside. She opens the door, causing a cute little jingle to chime.)

(It’s almost entirely the same as the boutique that was in the upper class district, which immediately confuses ESTELLE. She expected it to be dirtier, and in general less organized. It was abnormal to see such a well-kept store outside of the upper and governmental districts.)

FRAG:  
Hey there, comin’ in fa’ an outfit?

(We hear the goofy voice of FRAG, who has an accent akin to a deep southerner. FRAG is shown by a pan up from the floor where their boots are shown, to their upper body and face. They’re dressed in a proper blouse and skirt, with something like a corset around their waist.)

ESTELLE:  
You...your accent and outfit are so cute.

(ESTELLE didn’t immediately mean to compliment a middle class citizen, so an embarrassed blush comes onto her face directly after.)

FRAG:  
Hm? Thanks! I’m from the next planet over. Everybody talks like this.

ESTELLE:  
Oh...you’re from another planet?

FRAG:  
Yeap! But we’re not trying to talk about me, right? You came here to get somethin’, right?

ESTELLE:  
I just wanted to get a new outfit tailored.

(Throughout the entire conversation, ESTELLE is carefully scoping out this store and the people inside of it. No one in the store looks odd, at least not to ESTELLE’s standards, but there’s clearly no one from the upper class.)

FRAG:  
Hm? Well that’s perfect! I make a lot of the clothes around here.

ESTELLE:  
Oh, you? Not like...a transferred employee from the upper class?

FRAG:  
Class got nothin’ to do with talent, little miss.

(ESTELLE gets immediately flustered again.)

ESTELLE:  
I’m not a ‘little miss!’ You look younger than me! Why are you even professionally making clothes?

FRAG:  
Age got nothin’ to do with talent neither. And I’m fourteen. I’m old enough to know how to make a dress.

ESTELLE:  
Well...I’m fifteen. And I’m not very good at making dresses...or talking to people my age.

FRAG:  
You don’t need to be good at making dresses, silly. ‘Cause I’m making it for you. And you seem to be talking to me just fine.

ESTELLE:  
Yeah, b-but I’m not doing very well. You’re embarrassing me.

FRAG:  
Embarrassin’ you? Just by talkin’? You’re funny!

ESTELLE:  
I’m not trying to be!

FRAG:  
Well, I’m Frag. Frag Jones.

ESTELLE:  
I don’t think I need to introduce myself. You know who I am, right?

FRAG:  
Huh? Why would I? We just met.

ESTELLE:  
Huh? How could you not know? Everybody knows the Valentine Sisters.

FRAG:  
I don’t. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of em’.

ESTELLE:  
Um...well I’m Estelle Valentine, and my older sister is Gene Valentine. I’m from the upper class.

FRAG:  
An upper class girl? That explains why you’ve been looking at me all weird for the last two minutes.

ESTELLE:  
What? I--

FRAG:  
You don’t have to deny it. All of the upper class ladies who come here look at me the same way.

ESTELLE:  
...sorry.

FRAG:  
No worries. How can someone from the upper class district adjust to somebody like me so easy? I talk all weird, and I’m an immigrant, and I’m not in the same class as y’all.

(As FRAG casually demeans themself, they try to look for fabric for ESTELLE. While ESTELLE tries to figure out how to respond to that, FRAG holds a light purple fabric by ESTELLE’s face.)

FRAG:  
Do you think this fits your tone? You’re real pale…

ESTELLE:  
Oh? You’re already trying to get to work?

FRAG:  
I pride myself on being efficient. I just gotta measure you, right? Then I can design whatever I want to.

ESTELLE:  
I mean...yeah, sure. You can do whatever you want. I’m not very particular. It just needs to look cute and frilly.

FRAG:  
Can I overprice ya since you’ve got a lotta money?

ESTELLE:  
What? No!

FRAG:  
I’m kiddin’ silly.

(FRAG giggles at ESTELLE, who they’ve embarrassed again.)

FRAG:  
Upper class girls are real funny. Just come to the back with me and we can get started, alright?

ESTELLE:  
Alright, I’m coming.

(ESTELLE begins walking to the back with FRAG. There’s a shot showing off the difference between their shoes, with FRAG’s worker boots looking dirty and coming apart, and ESTELLE’s pink heels being entirely clean and well-kept. The scene ends with this visual.)

Scene 2

(In the next scene, ESTELLE is shown returning to her home. As expected, when she walks inside, the house for just her and her sister is huge. 

GENE:  
You’ve been out for a while.

(GENE is sitting in the living room on a large sofa, eating from a bowl of chips. She seems to have been waiting for ESTELLE to return.)

ESTELLE:  
I...had to take a little detour.

GENE:  
To the middle class district, right?

ESTELLE:  
Huh? How did you--

GENE:  
I stopped by the boutique’s usual location because you were taking so long to get back. I saw the sign on the door and figured it out. But, honestly, it was hard to believe that you’d go to an integrated area without Celeste or myself. You’re...weird, when it comes to the lower classes.

(As GENE speaks, ESTELLE comes around to sit on the sofa next to her. Despite it being so big, ESTELLE takes a seat directly next to GENE.)

ESTELLE:  
I’m not weird. I just don’t get along with them.

GENE:  
They remind you of things you don’t want to be reminded of, right?

ESTELLE:  
It doesn’t matter why I don’t like to be around them. I just don’t.

GENE:  
But you stayed in that district for so long. Are you sure you weren’t enjoying yourself at least a little bit? It must’ve been nice to go and hang out with people who aren’t so uptight.

ESTELLE:  
It wasn’t like I enjoyed myself. I just met somebody from the middle class, and they were really nice to me. They were from another planet, too.

GENE:  
So, you made a friend?

ESTELLE:  
No. Not a friend.

GENE:  
It’s somebody you got along with. Are you going to go and see them again soon?

ESTELLE:  
In a few days, once my new dress is properly made. And, um...I think I can go on my own this time?

GENE:  
That’s completely fine by me. You’re always in a better mood when you get away from the people up here.

ESTELLE:  
Not true.

GENE:  
Totally true. You don’t like the lower classes, but you don’t get along with the people up here, either. They’re the types of people you hate more than anything, but you force yourself to stick around them. I don’t get it. You know we don’t fit in with all of these people.

ESTELLE:  
We fit in perfectly fine, thanks to me. You’re the one that sticks out like a sore thumb sometimes.

GENE:  
No, I don’t. I’m composed and I’ve learned how to blend in. You still have childish outbursts in the middle of restaurants.

ESTELLE:  
I’m getting better. And this is a better district to be in. You don’t need to grill me on how I act, because I don’t care, and it’s probably not changing.

GENE:  
Eh, it already changed a little. You have a middle class friend now.

ESTELLE:  
Do not.

GENE:  
Do so.

ESTELLE:  
Frag is just my tailor. And I’m just their customer. I’ll pick up my dress in a few days and never see them again. It’s as simple as that, Gene.

GENE:  
Whatever you say. I just think you could use more friends that aren’t Celeste.

ESTELLE:  
Celeste is the only person who’s enough like us for me to get along with her.

GENE:  
And, what? You hate everyone who isn’t just like us?

ESTELLE:  
Yes.

GENE:  
Why?

ESTELLE:  
Genevieve, you should understand that with the life we’ve lived, we can’t trust anyone but ourselves and the people who are similar to us. You know everyone else is just out to get us.

GENE:  
Estelle...your life will be depressing if you keep living it like that.

ESTELLE:  
Don’t care. I didn’t ask for a lecture. Now, I’m going to my room.

GENE:  
Young lady, you’re going to stay right here and discuss this with me. If you keep--

ESTELLE:  
You’re not Mother.

(When ESTELLE says this, GENE stops right in her tracks. ESTELLE walks up the stairs to her room offscreen, and we’re left with a tired looking GENE, sighing and resting her forehead against the tips of her fingers.)

Scene 3

(The very next day, CELESTE and GENE are shown to be having a conversation in front of GENE and ESTELLE’s house.)

GENE:  
I’m just not sure how to handle her. She’s in her snappy phase, right? How am I supposed to deal with that?

CELESTE:  
Young girls can be hard to deal with at this age. I’m sure you were like her at some point.

GENE:  
That’s the problem. I wasn’t. I was nothing like this, because I wasn’t spoiled enough to act like it. 

CELESTE:  
So you’re admitting that you’ve spoiled her?

GENE:  
It’s not like I’ve tried to. But I don’t want to take away the luxuries that we’ve worked so hard for.

CELESTE:  
I’d just let her get through this phase naturally. Be happy she’s acting like a real upper class kid.

GENE:  
I don’t want her to be anything like a ‘real upper class kid’.

CELESTE:  
Aha...right. I guess that’s fair.

(In the middle of their conversation, ESTELLE comes out of the house, acting like she’s trying to sneak out. Of course, she’s put off by seeing GENE already outside.)

GENE:  
And where are you going?

ESTELLE:  
I’m going for a walk.

GENE:  
Oh? You’re going out?

ESTELLE:  
Is that so surprising?

GENE:  
You always stay home. Are you going to the middle class again?

ESTELLE:  
Of course not. I’m going to the store.

GENE:  
By yourself…?

ESTELLE:  
Am I not allowed to go to the store by myself?

GENE:  
No, there’s nothing wrong with it, I just--

ESTELLE:  
Then leave me alone.

(GENE sighs, but lets ESTELLE walk off on her own. CELESTE shrugs.)

Scene 4

(ESTELLE arrives at the middle class’ train platform again. We’re shown basically the same scenery as last time, but the visual changes are quicker so that we’re reintroduced to the vibes of the middle class quickly.)

(ESTELLE stands at the top of the stairs which lead out to the main street. We get a camera pan from her face to a bird’s eyes view of this area, packed with shuffling people. It’s a bustling environment, complete with vendors trying to market low quality souvenirs to tourists, kids running around after each other, and homeless people begging on the side of the road. It doesn’t matter much, though, considering the homeless people are being practically run over by the rest of the crowd.)

ESTELLE:  
Aren’t these people supposed to stay in their class district?

(ESTELLE makes a sour face when she feels a homeless woman grab her arm. But when she turns around and takes a look at the woman’s desperate face, ESTELLE’s glare softens. She sighs. ESTELLE kneels down in front of the woman as she looks through her purse. The background of the active pathway disappears, giving the illusion that the OLD WOMAN and ESTELLE are the only people present in this scene. ESTELLE finally finds a large coin, about as big as her palm, and places it in the OLD WOMAN’s displayed box.)

OLD WOMAN:  
Thank you, darling.

ESTELLE:  
Almost all money is converting to online systems, now. You’re lucky that I had a coin on me.

OLD WOMAN:  
Ah...it costs money to open a digital bank account, dearie. As long as there’s just one person every now and then that displays their kindness, I’ll be alright.

(The OLD WOMAN takes the coin out of the box to clutch it to her chest.)

OLD WOMAN:  
This is more than enough for food. You have a kind soul.

ESTELLE:  
I can--I can give you more.

(ESTELLE reaches into her purse to pull out more money, but the OLD WOMAN gently takes her hand and stops her.)

OLD WOMAN:  
For some reason, I think you should hold onto all of the money you’ve earned.

ESTELLE:  
What? Why?

OLD WOMAN:  
I feel an aura coming out of you. It tells me that you’ve worked hard to get where you are. Harder than anyone else. And for now, I don’t need anymore than this. I don’t take more than I need.

(We’re now focused on ESTELLE’s surprised face. Her reaction isn’t over the top, but she definitely appears confused and taken back. The loud noise created by the streets people returns, and behind Estelle, the regular background returns as well.)

(With the scene back to normal, and their conversation over, ESTELLE begins to walk away from the OLD WOMAN. Her facial expression is one of conflict. She feels like she was just exposed in a way that she didn’t want to be exposed.)

Scene 4

(A title card for “A Few Days Later” appears to signify the time. Following that is a shot of the outside of FRAG’s boutique. Before we are shown an entire shot of either ESTELLE or FRAG, we see FRAG’s hands tying purple ribbons as pigtail holders into ESTELLE’s hair. There’s a pan from the floor up, focused on ESTELLE with FRAG standing behind her. We see that FRAG’s dress is fully tailored. It’s a purple, fluffy, showy dress that fits ESTELLE perfectly. They appear to be in one of the boutique’s dressing rooms.)

FRAG:  
So? Whaddya think?

(ESTELLE twirls around, keeping her eye on the full-body mirror.)

ESTELLE:  
This is high quality work. I’m impressed.

FRAG:  
Seriously? A first-rate elite likes my clothing?

ESTELLE:  
Who wouldn’t? The fabric is soft, it’s stylish, intricately made, and it's like you captured my aesthetic perfectly. Your skills, Frag, and my appreciation for them...they’ve got nothing to do with class.

FRAG:  
Miss...you really mean that? No first class girl would--

ESTELLE:  
Want to grab a bite to eat sometime? In the upper class district. I’ll lend you some clothes.

FRAG:  
L-little ol’ me? You don’t have to do anything like that! I’ve had enough fun with you just making your dress.

ESTELLE:  
It’s a fun idea though, right?

(ESTELLE taps her finger in the air twice, which makes a floating screen appear in front of her. She presses a few buttons, causing FRAG’s own screen to appear in front of them. As ESTELLE talks, she taps a few more buttons.)

ESTELLE:  
I’m just sending my profile through so that you can get my information. It’s got my number and my address and all of that.

FRAG:  
I’ll send my own right back, then.

(FRAG does the same thing as ESTELLE, passing their information over to ESTELLE. ESTELLE reads it over, but notices something that sticks out. The screen reads “Frag Jones -- Lower Class”)

ESTELLE:  
Frag, you’re...not middle class?

FRAG:  
Hm? Nah, I just work up here. I live in an apartment with my dad and siblings.

ESTELLE:  
...I see. I assumed you were middle class.

FRAG:  
Well, it’s not a problem, is it?

ESTELLE:  
No. It’s no problem at all.

Scene 5

(ESTELLE has exited the boutique in her new dress, having a blast turning up and down the street. She seems to have gotten a lot more comfortable in this district, now, waving and smiling at whoever looks at her.)

(She hears the OLD WOMAN’s voice just a little ahead of her. ESTELLE picks up the pace to find her again and speak to her. She pushes through the crowd in the direction of her voice.)

ESTELLE:  
Miss, are you still--

(What ESTELLE sees isn’t just the old woman, but a group of police officers brutally clearing out the homeless beggars. The regular middle class citizens seem to be running away from the action, but ESTELLE plants her feet to look at what’s happening. Batons are being used to hit the people in the streets, tear gas is being unleashed, people are yelling as they scatter away--it’s a scene ESTELLE hasn’t been used to in years.)

(Her eyes dart around, connecting her quick and detached flashbacks to what’s currently happening. As for her flashbacks, all we see so far are blurry, quick scenes of groups of people yelling and running away. It matches up almost perfectly with the present. A man bumps into ESTELLE, shoving her away.)

MAN:  
What are you staring at, kid?! Get the fuck out!

(ESTELLE can’t even heed this warning. She’s stuck. She gets a good view of the old woman who is kneeling down in front of an officer. ESTELLE runs over, no plan in mind.)

OLD WOMAN:  
If you practice kindness, young man, your life will be far happier. Your soul radiates a miserable--

OFFICER #1:  
Shut up, you old hag. You need to get out of here and back into the lower class where you belong.

OLD WOMAN:  
No human being belongs to a class. The two of us are the same.

OFFICIER #1:  
I don’t need--

ESTELLE:  
Miss! Are you alright?!

(ESTELLE, who has reached the weak woman’s side, lets her rest on her shoulder.)

ESTELLE:  
It’s alright! I won’t let anyone try and hurt you.

OFFICER #1:  
Didn’t anyone ever teach you to let your superiors finish their sentences, little girl?

ESTELLE:  
I don’t mean any trouble. I’m an upper class citizen, but I just need-

OFFICER #1:  
What are you letting this lady off the hook for, then? Any proper citizen of Orlinda would be in favor of upholding the class structure. Run home to mommy.

ESTELLE:  
Well, maybe I’m not a proper upper class citizen to begin with!

OLD WOMAN:  
Dearie...it’s best that you leave. I can handle myself.

ESTELLE:  
The people here want to hurt you!

OFFICER #1:  
The people here are doing their jobs. I’m not going to warn you again.

(OFFICER #1 puts a hand on his gun, ready to draw and shoot whenever he feels like it.)

(ESTELLE stands up in front of the OLD WOMAN, spreading her arms and hands out.)

ESTELLE:  
Men should treat old women gently.

OFFICER #1:  
You stupid fucking--

(Before the man can complete his sentence, a citizen grabs ESTELLE out of the way, knowing the officer plans to draw his gun. This citizen is CAMERON, a middle class young man.)

ESTELLE:  
Argh! Let go of me! Put me down!

(CAMERON bolts off in another direction with ESTELLE. He gives her a piece of cloth after hoisting her over his shoulder.)

CAMERON:  
Put that around your eyes! They’re using tear gas!

ESTELLE:  
Let me go! I have to help that woman!

CAMERON:  
Yeah? Well I’m helping you, so just hang on and listen.

ESTELLE:  
Why?!

CAMERON:  
Because you look weak.

ESTELLE:  
I am not weak! I’ll have you know that I’m--!

CAMERON:  
Keep your eyes shut tight!

(CAMERON commands her as another officer throws tear gas in their direction. CAMERON shuts his eyes as well, relying on luck to get through this crowd. A voice calls out to help him.)

DOUGLAS:  
Cameron, man! Swerve a little to your left and then keep running straight! You’re almost out of it!

CAMERON:  
Got it, Doug! I got the girl!

(CAMERON gets out of the cloud of gas, but continues to run until most of the noise from the officers and homeless has faded into the background. When he opens his eyes again, DOUGLAS is by his side, taking ESTELLE from CAMERON’s shoulder.)

DOUGLAS:  
Sick escape. Police officers were trying to run after you and making fools out of themselves.

CAMERON:  
What, ‘cause I got a girl away from some man about to shoot her?

DOUGLAS:  
You know they don’t like their targets being fucked with.

(Now that ESTELLE is down, she tries to sneak back into the crowd.)

DOUGLAS:  
No way, girl.

(DOUGLAS pulls on her collar to keep her from returning.)

ESTELLE:  
I have to go back! That woman is in danger!

DOUGLAS:  
That woman is beaten half to death by now. Forget about it.

ESTELLE:  
All because you wouldn’t let me go back!

DOUGLAS:  
Upper class girls really don’t get it, huh?

ESTELLE:  
What don’t I get, huh?

CAMERON:  
You save who you can save and forget about the rest. In that moment, I saved the little girl who was way in over her head. Looked like the woman wanted you out, anyways. I did you both a favor.

ESTELLE:  
I hate favors. I need to repay them.

CAMERON:  
Save my life some time and we can call it even, then.

ESTELLE:  
Screw off, creep.

CAMERON:  
I’m a creep, now?

ESTELLE:  
I’m going home. I would never have to see anything like this happen in the upper class. It was a mistake to come here.

CAMERON:  
That strict loyalty to the class structure is what makes your world go round. You don’t get to complain about it.

ESTELLE:  
I can complain about old women getting beaten.

CAMERON:  
Not when you benefit from it.

ESTELLE:  
No one benefits from that!

DOUGLAS:  
I hate to tell you, kid, but everyone in the upper class is benefitting from what just happened out there.

ESTELLE:  
Not me! I’m not like that!

CAMERON:  
It’s a systemic thing. Not personal.

ESTELLE:  
System, shyshtem. No one can tell me what I benefit from or what I stand for. I’m going.

CAMERON:  
Upper class girl got a taste of reality and she can’t handle it. What a shocker, Doug.

DOUGLAS:  
Come on, man. Be a little nicer.

CAMERON:  
I saved her life. That’s as nice as you can get. And I never even heard a thank you.

ESTELLE:  
I’m not thankful! I wouldn’t care if I got shot!

CAMERON:  
If I didn’t risk my ass to get you, both you and that lady were gonna bite it! Count your blessings.

ESTELLE:  
No blessings to count when you get saved by an asshole creep who doesn’t care about old ladies getting shot.

CAMERON:  
Tch. Show yourself out of my district. Maybe people like you shouldn’t be here to begin with.

ESTELLE:  
I agree. Don’t count on me coming back.

(END EPISODE)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the roughest draft I’ve published yet but I really enjoyed writing this one!! It needs to be reworked in some areas but I’m having a lot of fun with Estelle’s characterization. - 🍄


	4. King Indulf Enters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every day the scripts I post get rougher and rougher so I’m sorry for that 😅 Also sorry that this one is a bit longer than usual!! Had a lot I wanted to get through.
> 
> tw for mention of pedophilia in the final scene

Scene 1

(This episode opens on VIOLA in the control board room of one of her war aircrafts. The chair she sits in to command appears exactly like a throne, with the surrounding scenery being just as elegant. Standing next to VIOLA is her advisor, CHARLESTON.)

VIOLA:  
Are there any more reports from the White Castle battlefield?

CHARLESTON:  
Nothing has changed, my lady. White Castle has suffered far more casualties than us, and we have the clear advantage despite the striking difference in troupe number.

VIOLA:  
If it’s so drastic, deploy more troops.

CHARLESTON:  
With all due respect, madam, that isn’t necessary.

VIOLA:  
We cannot allow ourselves to be outnumbered on the battlefield. One mistake, and we’re dead.

CHARLESTON:  
If I listened to you, I’d be wasting Alaststan’s resources. We can send more troops in, but only when needed. We’re winning. White Castle is soon to fall. And you’re meant to be sent out again, soon. Your presence will be a morale boost for the soldiers.

VIOLA:  
Right...okay, disregard my previous order.

CHARLESTON:  
Understood, your highness.

(CHARLESTON bows to the princess.)

(Someone else enters the room. As they walk, we only see their feet. They’re barefoot and held together by shackles, with bruises and cuts marking their feet.)

CHARLESTON:  
Hello, little one. I assume you have an approved meeting with the princess?

VIOLA:  
I did permit a meeting today.

(VIOLA does not see this person’s appearance yet.)

(This person stands in front of VIOLA. We only see the back of their head as they look up at VIOLA.)

VIOLA:  
Charleston...Why does this girl look like she’s been living in slave condition? Those were not my orders.

(For the next line, we finally see the person who has dragged herself into VIOLA’s presence. It’s LISA, MILO’s younger cousin, looking disheveled and dirty.)

LISA:  
That’s what I came here to talk about.

(After the reveal of who it is, the scene returns to standard framing.)

LISA:  
Y-you told me that if I came with you, I would have a pretty room with a big, fluffy bed! And that I could have hot showers! B-but you all locked me in a cage and--

VIOLA:  
Calm down, little one. I assure you that wasn’t the plan.

LISA:  
Huh?

VIOLA:  
Charleston, see to it that our guest gets better treatment. You can put her in my spare room. And, little one, you can stop shaking. I’m not as cruel as they make me look on TV.

LISA:  
Why...why are you accepting my request so easily? Why are you treating me nicely?

VIOLA:  
Don’t young women have to look out for each other? 

LISA:  
You’re one of the people who killed my family. You’re not looking out for me.

VIOLA:  
I am. You just don’t understand.

LISA:  
Why did you save me, but kill my cousins? Why am I alive? I’m not any different from Milo or Joshua, but I’m still here!

VIOLA:  
You save who you can save, and forget about the rest.

LISA:  
But I can’t forget about my family! And why did you save me?! Why did you kill them?! I don’t understand! You don’t make any sense! You stupid, idiot princess!

CHARLESTON:  
Young lady, you will speak kindly in the presence of her majesty, your savior!

VIOLA:  
Lisa, you will understand in time why I saved you.

LISA:  
I just don’t--

(LISA frustratedly presses a hand to her temple. We see disjointed pieces of her memory, like her hand being cut off, being surrounded by soldiers, and VIOLA pulling off her SWORDSMAN mask and coming between LISA and the soldiers. In this messy flashback, VIOLA carries LISA on her shoulder. The flashback ends with LISA staring at her wrapped up wrist, fading into the present, where she’s staring at her metal hand.)

LISA:  
I don’t get any of this…

VIOLA:  
You don’t need to get it yet. Charleston, please escort the young lady to her new room. Allow her to take a hot shower and calm herself.

CHARLESTON:  
Will do, madam.

(CHARLESTON takes LISA by her shoulder to begin guiding her back to a new room. LISA looks back at VIOLA as though she wants to say more, but she forces herself to keep her head forward.)

Scene 2

(Scene 2 opens with two hands repeatedly slamming themselves into a punching bag. When it’s framed so that we can see the person doing this, it’s revealed to be MILO, with JEN standing right behind him. The two of them are standing on a mat in a large, empty warehouse. This is probably what the lower class uses as a gym.)

JEN:  
Your strike is weak. Visualize energy moving up from your feet into your fist. Concentrate on putting every last bit of your energy into every single punch.

(To demonstrate, JEN moves MILO out of the way. While taking a deep breath, she pulls her fist back. She carefully plants herself into the ground. MILO watches her form with intent. After a moment of silence, JEN strikes the bag with no hesitation, causing it to swing backwards. The impact is loud and effective. MILO watches this happen in awe. JEN releases her tight form before turning around to MILO.)

JEN:  
More like that. You’re overconfident in your physical abilities. If you want to get into Rumia, you can’t just go around punching willy-nilly, trusting that you’re strong enough to do something. You have to be particular about these things.

MILO:  
I get it, I get it. It’s just, I was the strongest in my village, you know? Willy-nilly punching has always gotten me far.

JEN:  
This is Orlinda, not Dinlen. The population here is bigger and stronger than you could ever imagine. I might not even get into Rumia because of the competition, and that means you definitely won’t.

MILO:  
Are you sure about all of that?

JEN:  
If I wasn’t sure, then I wouldn’t walk around saying it.

MILO:  
Let’s spar, Jen.

JEN:  
Let’s what?

MILO:  
Let’s spar. We can see which one of us is better in combat.

JEN:  
You’ll lose.

MILO:  
No, I won’t. 

JEN:  
Are you sure about all of that?

MILO:  
If I wasn’t sure, then I wouldn’t walk around saying it.

(JEN sighs. She takes a look at MILO, who looks excited at this opportunity. She face palms, knowing she’s going to agree to this.)

JEN:  
Fine. We can spar, right here.

MILO:  
Alright! Nice! We’ve got a mat right here, so let’s just get right into it.

JEN:  
I’ll stand on the right side, and you can stand on the left. When I say ‘go’, I’ll allow you to make the first move. Is that alright?

MILO:  
No problems here. I’ll take you down expeditiously.

JEN:  
We’ll see about that.

Scene 2.5

(In the quiet of her own room, ELISE lays down a large piece of paper on the ground. She takes out her limited art supply, and begins to work on this sheet.)

Scene 2.6

(JEN and MILO take their positions. There’s a tensity felt in the tone of the scene now, despite this mostly being in good fun.)

JEN:  
Go!

(MILO immediately sets off to take a swing at JEN, which is interrupted by ELISE beginning her sketch. Immediately cutting back to MILO, we’re shown JEN easily dodging his punch, and sticking out her leg as a means of obstructing MILO’s attack. This, too, has an intercut where we see ELISE intently working on an art piece.)

(MILO trips on JEN’s foot, his chin bashing against the mat. Right when MILO falls onto the mat, we’re simply shown part of ELISE’s working process again. Half of JEN’s next line would be placed over ELISE’s scene, and half over her own.)

JEN:  
You should have waited a moment. You’re too predictable.

(MILO pushes himself up off of the ground, straightening out his jaw as he gets up.)

MILO:  
I was just--

(JEN immediately kicks MILO down again, resulting in him being quickly reminded of his defeat at the hands of the SWORDSWOMAN.)

JEN:  
Defeated so quickly, Sufuri? And you were so confident.

MILO:  
Don’t...patronize me!

(MILO jumps up before JEN even has the opportunity to knock him back down again, immediately lifting a kick to land her in the gut. JEN has time to brace herself, but doesn’t have enough time to block. MILO smashes against her ribs, temporarily throwing her off balance.)

(MILO begins to try for another punch, which leads to another segway into ELISE. When MILO lands a punch against JEN’s side, ELISE makes a pencil mark that she looks satisfied about.)

(JEN isn’t even given a moment to compose herself, so she slams into MILO’s side. MILO, though, isn’t so easily taken down now that he’s remembered that SWORDSWOMAN. He grabs JEN’s arm, and despite her resistance, takes her down onto the mat. At this moment, ELISE finishes her sketch.)

ELISE:  
Hm...perfect. 

(ELISE holds up her drawing. It’s an accurate, detailed map of Alaststan. This is easily figured out by “ALASTSTAN” being written in bold letters in the corner.)

ELISE:  
This is what will get me a spot in Rumia for sure.

(Moving back to JEN and MILO, MILO now has her pinned down with his foot on his stomach.)

JEN:  
I underestimated you, huh?

MILO:  
Oh, absolutely. I’m not just some weak village boy.

JEN:  
Are you sure about that?

(JEN smirks, grabbing onto MILO’s ankle. Before he can even react, she turns the tables. She pulls him down to the mattress and stands above him in a matter of moments. With the air completely knocked out of him, MILO can barely breathe.)

JEN:  
I win. Stop getting so confident when you do one thing right.

MILO:  
God...you’re a demon.

JEN:  
Aw, did I hurt you that bad?

MILO:  
Just help me up.

(JEN reaches out a hand to MILO. She pulls him up, checking over him to make sure that he’s not badly injured.)

JEN:  
I think you bruised me.

MILO:  
I think I’m not going to be able to walk straight for a week.

JEN:  
Boo-hoo, you kicked the shit out of me.

MILO:  
Only after you practically assaulted me!

JEN:  
You asked to spar, you big idiot.

MILO:  
I shouldn’t have. Now my everything aches.

JEN:  
Get used to that if you plan on attending what’s practically a military school.

MILO:  
Hey, Jen...why did you even agree to train me? You made a big deal about how I’m not ready, or whatever.

JEN:  
You seemed...determined, for one reason or another. I like how your eyes look when you talk about Rumia and the war. It’s not some big, deep reason.

MILO:  
My eyes?

JEN:  
People say a lot with their eyes. You’ve been saying so much.

MILO:  
I’m not sure I understand.

JEN:  
You don’t need to, but that’s why I’m teaching you. I’m not like you, or Douglas, or Elise. I have dead eyes. I can’t speak with them anymore.

MILO:  
Dead...eyes…?

JEN:  
Absolutely dead.

(JEN’s eyes get a close up shot. True to her word, they look dead. They’re dull, with no shine or reflection. She looks back at MILO, whose eyes are alive and sparkling, regardless of his expression. She puts a gentle hand over one of her eyes, just sighing to herself.)

JEN:  
Whatever. You don’t get it. I’m going to go.

MILO:  
Really? We haven’t even been here for too long.

JEN:  
I’m going.

MILO:  
Ah...alright. I’ll stay around here for a little while longer. I can bring some food home tonight.

JEN:  
Got it.

(JEN waves back at MILO without looking at him, escorting herself out of the make-shift gym. Before the scene ends, we get a look at MILO’s face. He looks confused, having not understood exactly what JEN was talking about before she left.)

Scene 3

(We open on an ESTELLE who is rolling around in her bed, a phone-like floating screen sitting next to her. She checks up her phone to check if she’s received any messages from FRAG. She hasn’t, so she plants her face in her pillow, grumbling.)

ESTELLE:  
If I message them, I won’t have to go to the lower districts, right? If I go after that…

(We receive a short flashback of the previous episode’s happenings.)

CAMERON:  
Tch. Show yourself out of my district. Maybe people like you shouldn’t be here to begin with.

ESTELLE:  
I agree. Don’t count on me coming back.

(End flashback.)

ESTELLE:  
Argh...I was so dumb for that! I was finally starting to like it there, but-!

(Another flashback. This one combines the things said that most stuck with ESTELLE.)

MAN:  
What are you staring at, kid?! Get the fuck out!

OFFICER #1:  
Shut up, you old hag.

ESTELLE:  
Well, maybe I’m not a proper upper class citizen to begin with!

CAMERON:  
Because you look weak.

DOUGLAS:  
Upper class girls really don’t get it, huh?

OLD WOMAN:  
No human being belongs to a class.

DOUGLAS:  
That woman is beaten half to death by now.

CAMERON:  
You save who you can save and forget about the rest.

OLD WOMAN:  
You have a kind soul.

GENE:  
You hate everyone who isn’t just like us?

ESTELLE:  
Yes.

ESTELLE:  
I won’t let anyone try and hurt you!

ESTELLE:  
You know everyone else is just out to get us.

OLD WOMAN:  
I don’t take anymore than I need.

ESTELLE:  
Hah? If you’re a new refugee, why are you talking to me?

FRAG:  
How can someone from the upper class district adjust to somebody like me so easy?

ESTELLE:  
Wanna grab a bite to eat some time?

FRAG:  
I’ve had enough fun with you just making your dress.

(This combination of scenes ends. ESTELLE’s face is stuffed into her pillow, thinking all of these interactions over.)

ESTELLE:  
...I don’t fit in anywhere. With anybody. Gene was right. I shouldn’t message Frag.

(ESTELLE’s phone suddenly rings, breaking her away from her funk. She scrambles to check who it is. The screen reads as “FRAG”.)

ESTELLE:  
Huh-?! But I just decided…! I-if they wanna talk to me, I-I guess…

(ESTELLE hesitantly picks up the phone call, bracing herself with a deep breath. When FRAG begins speaking, we only hear their voice through the phone.)

FRAG:  
Estelle! Are you alright?! I heard a big street raid happened right after you left!

ESTELLE:  
Huh? Frag? You’re worried about me?

FRAG:  
Of course I’m worried! We’re friends, right?

ESTELLE:  
We’re...friends…?

FRAG:  
We know each other, and we like each other, and we get along just fine. We’re friends.

ESTELLE:  
It’s that simple?

FRAG:  
How did you think it was, silly?

ESTELLE:  
I dunno…

(ESTELLE squeezes the pillow in front of her to her chest.)

ESTELLE:  
I only have one other friend. And she’s older. I don’t have any friends my age.

FRAG:  
You’ve got me now!

ESTELLE:  
I guess.

(The scene switches from ESTELLE on the phone to FRAG.)

FRAG:  
I was wondering if you wanted to come on down to my house some time. You offered to bring me to the upper class district, but I think I’d be more comfortable down here.

(The scene switches back to a focus on ESTELLE.)

ESTELLE:  
Me? In the lower class district?

FRAG:  
It’s no problem, right?

(ESTELLE squeezes her eyes shut as the memory with CAMERON comes back to her.)

ESTELLE:  
Don’t count on me coming back.

(She opens her eyes again, focusing on the picture of FRAG in the corner of the call.)

FRAG:  
Estelle?

ESTELLE:  
It’s no problem, Frag. I’ll come by whenever I’m free. Just send the link through.

Frag:  
Alright!  
(FRAG’s address comes through in their messages. ESTELLE has a gentle, but satisfied smile on her face.)

FRAG:  
Do you want to stay on and talk for a while?

ESTELLE:  
I’d really like that.

FRAG:  
I wanted to talk to you about this new fabric that we got our hands on, the manufacturer…

(When FRAG begins their story, the camera focuses on ESTELLE’s house outside. As it pulls up and away, FRAG’s voice begins to fade out until the scene is blackened and over.)

Scene 4

(When a scene fades back in, it’s of ESTELLE sitting on a train with people who appear to be lower class. She glances around at them, trying to calm her judgemental face. She chose a more reserved outfit, with just a fluffy skirt and a white sweater, but she still sticks out like a sore thumb.)

(The scene is completely quiet beyond the intelligible murmuring of passengers and the sound of the moving train.)

(The train lands on the grounded station. ESTELLE gets up out of her seat, and cautiously takes a step outside of the train and into the lower class district. Similarly to MILO in the first episode, ESTELLE immediately scrunches up her nose because of the smell in the air.)

(Just by glancing around, ESTELLE can already tell the conditions of the lower class are horrid in comparison to her own situation. She begins to move off of the platform and into the actual district, all the while uncomfortably crossing her arms across her chest.)

(The main street is overrun with homeless people. Though, the noticeable difference between this main street and the middle class’s main street is that no one seems to be walking around, or excitedly crowding, or buying things from greedy vendors--it’s relatively empty and melancholy.)

ESTELLE:  
I wonder if that woman would be here…

(She receives desperate looks from everyone on the street. She pulls out her purse to check if she has any more coins, but her hands come out empty. She doesn’t choose to say anything, or even look anymore. She just walks forward to the given address.)

(Eventually, ESTELLE arrives in front of FRAG’s house. She almost knocks before she hears yelling and crying from inside of the house. She hesitates for a moment, before knocking heavily and calling out to FRAG.)

ESTELLE:  
Frag? Frag?! Are you alright in there--

(A tall man, GEORGE, opens the door to greet ESTELLE. With this, she’s able to glance into the household. And to her surprise, nothing is going badly at all. There’s children running around yelling, and the man, GEORGE, is holding a crying baby in his arms.)

GEORGE:  
Oh? I take it you’re Estelle.

(ESTELLE moves her head to the side to glance into the house again.)

ESTELLE:  
Yes, I am. Um, this is...Frag’s house?

GEORGE:  
I’m Frag’s dad. They’re right upstairs in the room they share with their brother.

ESTELLE:  
Oh, um...I’ll go right up, then.

GEORGE:  
It’s nice to meet you, Estelle. I had no idea an upper class girl would ever come to my house, or befriend one of my children.

ESTELLE:  
Um, well, I like Frag, so...yeah. It’s nice to meet you too.

(ESTELLE hurries up the stairs to get away from the commotion. When she gets up to FRAG’s room, she notices FRAG contently knitting in the corner, unaware that ESTELLE has arrived.)

ESTELLE:  
Frag? I’m here.

(FRAG snaps out of their trance-like state and raises their head up for a look at ESTELLE.)

FRAG:  
Wow! Ya seriously came!

ESTELLE:  
Of course I would. I said I would.

FRAG:  
Well, yeah. But you’re...you know. I wasn’t sure you’d actually show up.

ESTELLE:  
We’re friends, right? Friends shouldn’t go around breaking promises.

FRAG:  
Guess they shouldn’t, huh?

(ESTELLE takes a seat on FRAG’s bed. She pulls FRAG up as well, so that they’re sitting next to each other.)

FRAG:  
You never did tell me what happened at that raid.

ESTELLE:  
...A lot. I saw things I didn’t want to see.

FRAG:  
Do you want to talk about it?

ESTELLE:  
I’m not sure yet.

FRAG:  
Well, whenever you’re ready. I’m right here.

ESTELLE:  
...Thanks, Frag. It means a lot to me.

Scene 5

(After getting a break from his training for a few scenes, we return to MILO rehearsing combative stances and moves. He’s in an isolated alleyway, jabbing at the air. He rubs sweat off of his cheek using his forearm, and then continues with what he’s practicing. He jumps up to perform a spin kick.)

DOUGLAS:  
Whoa, great job, man.

(DOUGLAS appears at the entrance of the alleyway. He throws a water bottle over to MILO, who catches it smoothly.)

MILO:  
Jen is a good teacher.

DOUGLAS:  
She’s always been good at guiding people. I’m happy that you two are working together. It makes the dynamic in the house a lot less tense.

MILO:  
Yeah, I figured.

(MILO pops off the top of the water bottle and ends up chugging it. Right after wiping his mouth, he turns back to DOUGLAS.)

MILO:  
Wanna go at it, dude?

DOUGLAS:  
Huh? The two of us?

MILO:  
Jen has been training you, too. So let’s see who’s a better learner.

DOUGLAS:  
Ah...really? I’m not a natural like you.

MILO:  
Then you’ll lose. Which doesn’t matter. I just want to have a partner.

DOUGLAS:  
Man...got it.

(DOUGLAS positions himself in front of MILO. MILO readies his stance.)

MILO:  
On my “go”.

(The camera is focused on the glances being exchanged between MILO and DOUGLAS’s eyes. There’s a passion and intensity to MILO’s expression, whereas DOUGLAS appears calm, and kind.)

MILO:  
Three...two...one…Go!

(In around two seconds, MILO gets a lock on DOUGLAS, pulling him to the ground. DOUGLAS doesn’t even have a moment to breathe before he’s lost.)

MILO:  
How’s that?

DOUGLAS:  
So cruel…

ESTELLE:  
So awesome!

MILO:  
What?

(MILO turns around, now to see ESTELLE at the entrance of the alleyway. She’s entirely gobsmacked.)

ESTELLE:  
That was so, totally the coolest! You didn’t even give him a shot!

MILO:  
Uh...I guess. Aren’t you that girl I met on my first day?

ESTELLE:  
Huh? Oh, um, yeah. That’s me. I’m Estelle Valentine, darling of the elite.

MILO:  
I’m Milo Sufuri, one of the many refugees of the lower class.

DOUGLAS:  
I’m Douglas.

(DOUGLAS lifts himself up off of the ground, sitting against the wall of the alleyway.)

DOUGLAS:  
And I swear you said you’d never come to the lower class again.

ESTELLE:  
Words are vapid. I don’t always mean what I say.

MILO:  
She just says things like that. She hates us.

ESTELLE:  
I...I don’t…

MILO:  
You act like you do.

ESTELLE:  
I don’t hate all of you, I don’t think...But I only learned that recently.

MILO:  
Good job, you stopped hating poor people.

ESTELLE:  
You have no idea what you’re talking about, so lay off of me, okay?

DOUGLAS:  
Why are you down here, girl?

ESTELLE:  
I was visiting a friend.

MILO:  
Why would someone in the lower class befriend you?

ESTELLE:  
I’ve been wondering the same thing. But I still have a friend here, now. And I like them a lot.

DOUGLAS:  
Were you visiting that same friend when you ended up in the middle class?

ESTELLE:  
Mm-hm. And I um, I came into this alley for a reason.

MILO:  
And what was that?

ESTELLE:  
I need...I need a teacher! So I can get into Rumia! Can you teach me how to do what you just did?!

(ESTELLE excitedly runs up to MILO’s side. He makes a confused face, looking to DOUGLAS for some sort of response.)

MILO:  
Why should I teach you if I need to work too?

ESTELLE:  
You’re trying to go to Rumia, too?

MILO:  
Yeah, so I can’t waste my time on someone I barely even know.

ESTELLE:  
I’m sure you’ll have time to spare. I’ll send you through my information right now.

(ESTELLE pulls up her virtual screen, waiting for MILO to pull his up as well.)

MILO:  
What? What do you want?

ESTELLE:  
Pull up your screen. You should’ve been taught how to when you were assigned housing.

MILO:  
How do I do that?

ESTELLE:  
Tap the air twice, and then slide your finger to the right. It has all of your information, and you can look up other citizens. You can look up anything. If you just tell me the number it gives you, I can add you on a chatting site.

MILO:  
Hold on.

(MILO does as he’s instructed, pulling up the large screen in front of his face.)

MILO:  
This doesn’t cost any money?

ESTELLE:  
Not for refugees. And, now that I’ve taught you about one of the Orlinda essentials, give me your citizen number. You can even just send a message to someone if they’re near you.

MILO:  
Ugh….alright.

(MILO sends a message through to ESTELLE, who seems delighted to have cracked him.)

ESTELLE:  
Thanks, Mr. Milo! I’ll contact you when I’m free!

MILO:  
I never even--

(ESTELLE skips off into the distance, leaving MILO and DOUGLAS looking dazed.)

Scene 6

(We open this scene with Princess VIOLA taking a deep breath before large, chamber-like doors. These doors are guarded by two men dressed in what’s essentially combative space gear, who have lowered their weapons to allow VIOLA to pass through.)

(With caution, VIOLA pushes open the door, revealing what’s behind it. It’s the king of Alaststan, VIOLA’s father, by the name of INDULF. He’s seated in a large throne, surrounded by many women, who appear to be his multiple wives. There are two women sitting on his lap, three standing next to his throne, and multiple women sitting or sprawled somewhere on the floor in this room. VIOLA clears her throat.)

VIOLA:  
Father.

INDULF:  
Ah, my lovely Viola.

(INDULF waves the women off of him to make space for his daughter’s approach. VIOLA walks up to the front of her throne, politely curtseying.)

INDULF:  
You’ve led a successful march against White Castle. I have nothing but compliments to give you.

VIOLA:  
Thank you, father. Your kindness is greatly appreciated.

INDULF:  
What has my eldest child come to report for me? Surely you wouldn’t enter my chamber without good reason, unlike your youngest siblings.

VIOLA:  
You see...things have gotten unnecessarily violent in White Castle. I believe the troupes have gotten too excited. They’re slaughtering so many innocent people, who haven’t--

INDULF:  
Viola, my child, you know there’s nothing to be done about that. However the troupes decide to interpret my orders is how they’ll be executed. The lives of innocents in White Castle mean nothing to me. 

VIOLA:  
How can innocent lives mean nothing to you?

INDULF:  
My darling...you of all people shouldn’t have to ask about why I don’t care about life. Less idiotic people running around makes a colonized nation easier to control. That’s why I have you go in and take out the extra trash.

VIOLA:  
But I don’t know if I want to take out this extra trash anymore. Everyone keeps killing, and killing, and killing, but we could conquer the world without all of that, right? We could spread the messages of Alaststan without hurting anyo--

INDULF:  
Do not intrude into my chamber and insult me by being so horribly naive. You don’t make the decisions around here, Viola. Don’t let your popularity get to your head. You are nothing without my commands.

VIOLA:  
Your commands are destroying and taking away too many lives. I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this. Cutting people down, throwing the lives of human beings away...that’s why I let that boy go. Why I saved that girl!

INDULF:  
Your passion is good, Viola. You should put it towards serving your planet, and not those who you’ve never met.

VIOLA:  
But even you are fond of Lisa. She’s a backwards, dirty, village girl but you want to treat her with kindness. Surely you feel some empathy towards the unfortunate.

INDULF:  
I didn’t take a liking to Lisa because of empathy. That girl is going to become one of my wives.

VIOLA:  
Lisa is a child.

INDULF:  
I am the king.

(VIOLA looks stunned. She can’t come up with any sort of response.)

INDULF:  
You’re dismissed, Viola. Don’t come to me with such ludacris rhetoric ever again.

VIOLA:  
But father--

INDULF:  
Dismissed.

(VIOLA talks one last look around the room, at her father, the women, and the decorum, before letting herself out.)

(We see her walking through the hallway where LISA’s room is placed. She hears gentle crying, so she leans up against the door in order to get a clearer sound. We then see LISA, who is trying to hold back her tears. She’s feeling her false hand.)

(We see VIOLA again, who slides down against LISA’s door. She puts her head in her knees, just listening to LISA. As she closes her eyes, the rest of the scene fades away.)

(END EPISODE)


End file.
